Karlsruhe, Germany – February 2024 – In a groundbreaking step towards sustainable chemical production, ICODOS, KIT and BASF have announced the successful start-up of the world’s first fully integrated, fully automated and dynamically operated e-methanol plant at KIT’s Campus North in Germany. The plant utilizes a patented e-methanol production process developed by ICODOS Chief Technology Officer Dr. Francisco Vidal Vázquez in collaboration with KIT and further refined by BASF Chemical Catalysts and Adsorbents. Its successful start-up demonstrates the scalability and efficiency of a technology that has successfully transitioned from laboratory-scale validation to a pilot plant capable of producing sustainable e-methanol exclusively from CO₂ and H₂.
A breakthrough in e-methanol production
The shipping and chemical industries produce over 5% of today’s global greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainably produced methanol is considered a key enabler for reaching carbon-neutral goals. However, current limitations in cost-effectiveness and scalability of e-methanol production technologies act as a brake on their adoption. The new e-methanol plant integrates three transformative innovations that make it a clear breakthrough in e-methanol production: (1) a patented hybrid process that integrates carbon capture and methanol synthesis to increase energy and material efficiency, (2) fully automated and dynamic operation to utilize intermittent renewable energy generation, and (3) a modular design approach that can be rapidly deployed and scaled to utilize distributed small and medium-sized biogenic CO2 sources worldwide.
A testament to collaborative innovation
“This achievement marks a significant milestone in our mission to revolutionize the chemical and transportation industries” said Francisco Vidal Vázquez highlighting the joint efforts of ICODOS, KIT and BASF in developing and commissioning the plant. Jens Geppert, Chief Operations Officer at ICODOS, echoed these sentiments: “Our collaboration with KIT and BASF is a testament to what can be achieved when industry leaders come together with the common goal of advancing sustainable technologies.”
ICODOS is charting the path to a sustainable future
With the launch of its first e-methanol plant, ICODOS is pioneering a transformation in the chemical production industry, marking just the beginning of an ambitious vision to revolutionize the transportation and chemical sectors. With the support of strong partners like KIT and BASF, ICODOS is on track to achieve significant milestones in the near future, including the expansion of it’s breakthrough technology through the EU-funded POSEIDON project and the scaling of its e-methanol production to over 1 million tons of e-methanol by 2030.
Press Contact
David Strittmatter, ICODOS
Email: david.strittmatter@icodos.com
